A BEAUTIFUL SACRIFICE: The House of Hades
by THE s t a r s LOOKUP
Summary: The House of Hades ::: watch the most beautiful sacrifice become avenged. ::: view as Gaea must face the wrath ::: and see some monster butt kicked. {Mark of Athena spoilers} "Don't let go of me. Please." "Never."
1. Fallen

The field lay barren, destitute.

Clouds swarmed the sky, casting grey shadows across the hills, blanketing the surrounding areas with dullness.

The wind thrashed against the trees, the only prevailing sound the cold hollow wails of the wind.

The sea was in an uproar, tumultous waves crashing into the shore, blanketing the sand with coarse rocks and crashing white foam unto the dirt.

Strawberries laid strewn on the ground, crushed and mangled in the chaos to get to the ampitheater.

A cold chill had settled over camp, the calmness was of the deepest unsettling nature.

Silence.

And then,

"Campers." A throat cleared. "Fellow Greeks and accolades. It gives me the utmost grievances to report the information that Nico, Jason and Piper have brought to us."

Chiron opened his mouth again to relay the news, but no sound came out. He staggered, his back legs falling back.

A young woman, battered and bruised with a bleeding lip stood up from behind him. She placed a hand on the weathered centaur's shoulder, relaying to him a private message.

Chiron nodded, and stepped down.

Piper rose and met the faces of the Greek demigods packed into the marble stands surrounding her. Their faces were tainted with dread for what she had to say.

Ashes rose out of the coals in the fire pit, swirling in tendrils up into the air.

She opened her mouth and stood, putting force behind the words to make them come.

"The Romans are closing in as we speak. You already know this, and you have prepared well."

"The three of us return from the ancient lands to deliver news."

"First, we have located the doors of Death, and will lead an expidition to close them from Greece, where the mortal entrance lies."

"Second, we have one month until Gaea will rise completely and we must defeat her."

Whispers flitted around the stands in a panicked wave, but were quickly quieted as Piper stood, waiting to deliver the last bit of news.

"And third-" Her voice broke.

"Third, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase have fallen into Tartarus."

There was an uproar of noise.

Comedic gasps, moanful wails, and cries and sobs.

Jason buried his head in his hands from where he sat in the front row behind Piper.

Chiron turned away.

Tyson let out a shuddering sob.

Malcom raked his hands through his hair, a painful grimace on his face.

Grover looked dumbstruck as Juniper began sobbing next to him.

Clarisse rose in anger, completely dumbfounded.

Piper cleared her throat.

Silence fell again besides trembles of sobs and tears.

"They sacrificed themselves for this quest."

"But we have knowledge that they are not... not gone yet. They plan to meet us on the opposite side of the Doors of Death, which we must reach as soon as possible with as many reinforcements as we can to ensure their release as well as to close the doors for good."

"While the Romans seek to fight, we must plead for peace."

"We must be democratic, and ask for their help. We must ensure that Percy and Annabeth's sacrifice was not for nothing."

Chiron now took his place in the center, ready to speak, ready to lead his people.

"Percy Jackson is the most powerful, most resilient and most determined hero I have ever had the experience to work with."

"He is with Annabeth Chase, who is the most intelligent, cunning and honored demigod I have ever met. Together, they complete the greatest team Olympus could hope for. They are unmatched."

"Which is why we do not burn their shrouds, but raise them up as a reminder of hope as we prepare to make peace with the Romans."

Jason stood, and joined Piper, holding two folded pieces of silk.

One was a deep blue reminiscent of the ocean on a clear day embroidered by Tyson's careful hands with Gold thread to depict a trident, along with the words "Brother and Hero" alongside other additions such as "Saviour of Olympus" "Earthshaker" and "Seaweed Brain".

Jason hung it on the cables and hoisted it up so that it flapped in the wind, high above the camp.

Piper raised the luminescent gray silk, which had been embroidered carefully by the Athena cabinmates with silver thread in beautiful patterns and memories.

Every demigod rose, in unity, prepared to face the Romans with a new determination instilled in the pits of their stomachs.

As the whole stadium erupted into claps and cheers of determination and proudness, Piper, Jason and Nico stood at the front, ready to rally the heros that stood before them.

No one had noticed the private notes inscribed months prior into the gray and blue silk.

The one on the Blue silk read in a neat, careful hand;

_Seaweed Brain,_

_You were the best friend I ever had, as lame as that sounds. You were the strongest and bravest and the most loyal demigod I ever met. You did great things, and I will always remember you for what you did for me. You were everything to me._

_Love, _

_Annabeth_

The words written in the silver thread were much more ragged, but care had obviously been taken;

_Wise Girl,_

_I hope to dear gods I never have to watch this burn. It's beautiful, but it's owner is even more so. Annabeth, you're amazing. My heart belongs to you. Forever._

_Love,_

_Percy._


	2. Together

Leo was PO'd.

First, his ship was lugging around a precious statue that could topple and break at any second.

Second, monsters kept attacking him and his friends.

And Third, Annabeth and Percy were stuck in Tartarus and it was all his fault.

He was now in charge of perparing the ship for battle and keeping the statue safe while Jason and Piper led the Greek camp against the Romans.

At least he had Hazel and Frank to keep him company.

And so what if they were too bummed about Percy and Annabeth to be much fun?

Leo and Frank were actually on pretty decent terms, and could even be considered bros.

Besides the fact that Hazel made Leo's stomach churn in a way that closely resembled frolicking butterflies.

Leo sighed, looking over the cockpit through the clouds.

He was looking for somewhere to land, and was getting desperate, which was never good when traveling over foreign dangerous and monster-invested waters.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 

The makeshift flags rose high in the air, flapping in the gusty wind coming in from the sea.

The camp stood by Thalia's pine tree dressed in their best armor, polished and clean. Their feather plumes were perfect and their stance was threatening.

They wore looks of intent and resolution on their faces behind their war helmets.

They were ready.

Piper and Jason stood at the front, in borrowed armor.

The Romans could be seen in the distance, about a half mile off in the distance, looks of fury and vengence scrawled across their expressions.

Jason sought Reyna marching at the front of the group, her two dogs alongside her as usual. She looked fierce, but there was something in her eyes that Jason knew would help get their attention.

Piper reached out and clasped Jason's hand.

He squeezed hers gently. "You ready to do this?"

"Yes. together."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 

_"As long as we're together."_

Percy let go of the rock and fell into the darkness, clutching Annabeth's hand like it was, well, Annabeth, his everything.

He pulled her into his arms as they fell, holding her tightly.

They were quiet, the only sound being the air rushing past their ears.

Percy began to brace himself for the moment of impact, bending his knees and holding Annabeth so she wouldn't hit the bottom of the pit on her broken ankle.

But instead of the rocky bottom he had expected, Percy fell into several inches of mud, part of an underground swamp. He fell back onto his back, holding Annabeth on top of him. He let out a grunt, and Annabeth groaned softly.

He pulled the two of them out of the mud onto some rocks in the dark cavern.

"Annabeth?" He asked softly.

"Yes?" She replied weakly.

"How's your ankle?"

"It's not looking too good... I think I just need to reset my splinter."

Percy examined the make shift splint in the darkness as best he could. He felt for the wooden stick. and adjusted it so that it lined up with Annabeth's ankle.

"How's that?"

"Better I think. Thanks. Percy?"

"Yes?"

"What do we do now?"

"I don't know. Start walking I guess, once your ankle's strong enough."

"Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't let go of me. Please."

"Never."

A/N: Okay, so I know that these first two chapters were really short, but my plan is just to update as often as I get a chance, even if the chapters are really short. So a lot of chapters might end up like this, where it just focuses on the different groups and where they are, with the length varying.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, got some great ones last time! Hope to see some more!


	3. Bloody

This chapter is dedicated to EmMarie96, enjoy!

Song of the chapter: My Blood by Ellie Goulding

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

Percy and Annabeth had been walking for what felt like days in the same tunnel leading away from the first cavern.

They had already passed by the Chimera, who had put up a fierce battle.

Annabeth had been the first to sense it, they were walking slowly because of her ankle, and she realized that there was something else coming up on the side of the tunnel. Pebbles shifted and rolled out from the wall.

The two of them froze together at the snarl that rose, echoing off the ceiling.

"What is this I sense? A so called hero, finally avenged? Come to me Perseus Jackson..."

"It's Medusa..." Percy breathed.

Annabeth was already thinking. "do you have Riptide?"

He felt his pocket, sensing the pen there. He nodded. "Do you have anything? Your knife?" He sounded very hopeful.

Annabeth, who was leaning against Percy, who had his arm around her waist to support her walking, reached down and removed her knife from underneath the pant leg of her good leg.

"Yes" She said softly.

"Are you okay to fight?"

"Yes, I think so." She whispered hesitantly.

"Just, if you get too tired, stay behind me. This will be over quickly. Remember not to make eye contact."

Annabeth stood up on her own, resting her weight on her good ankle. She grasped Percy's hand tightly.

The snarling voice rose to a laugh, now just around the bend. "Why my dears, it has been much too long... so tell me Perseus Jackson, who was the lucky bastard that sent you and your pretty little friend down here?"

Medusa turned the corner, and Percy and Annabeth both turned their eyes. Percy looked to Annabeth, who looked to the floor.

"Oh, look at you two, just look how grown up you are. So handsome you have become, if you could only look at yourself. And Annabeth... how beautiful. Not as beautiful as I once was, but still..." Percy could feel her breath on his cheek, and could see her jaw out of the corner of his eye. He saw Annabeth flinch, as Medusa stoked her cheek with a talon-like finger. Percy scowled.

"Ah, but why won't you look at me?" She seemed sad. "I'm afraid my curse is gone my dears... very sad, right? Except now my beauty has been restored. I haven't been able to turn anyone into stone since my days on earth."

Annabeth turned to look at Percy, and they made eye contact.

She gave him a questioning look, like asking "could this be true?"

He shrugged minimally.

"I sense your doubt. But I assure you, My powers have dissapated. Just think about it, if I turned anyone to stone here, where would they go? This is the furthest pit of Hell. If you are here, you are at the worst place you could ever be. There is no where else below. I have nothing down here except for my beauty, which I am told, is stunning. Of course, there are no mirrors down here, but I have been told..." She trailed off. "Haven't you noticed something missing? I'm sure you have Annabeth, such a bright girl..."

Percy watched Annabeth's eyes widen. "The snakes..." She breathed.

The hiss of Medusa's hair was not there. The snakes were apparently, gone.

"Look at me..." Medusa hissed. "I am powerless down here. I cannot turn you to stone."

Annabeth was the first to look.

Percy sucked in a breath, and squeezed Annabeth's hand tighter.

But Annabeth did not turn to stone. Her face remained impassive except for a flicker of disgust. "Percy, she's telling the truth. Plus, she cannot kill us. We're already in Tartarus."

Percy looked.

Medusa may have been telling the truth about her powers being gone, but her beauty, not so much.

Her face was half-scorched off, bits of her skin completely blackened out. Her hair, although the snakes were gone, was coarse and tangled. Her features were that of a hawk, pointed and vulture-like.

Percy was about to say something, but decided it was agianst his best interests.

"Ah, you see my beauty now." She said. "But we are not done. Although I cannot turn you to stone, I still want something from you, something to make up for what you did to me. I have been anticipating your arrival here."

Percy didn't like where this was going.

"I have several things I could ask of you. But I have one thing that I will request from you, and if you do not oblige, than I shall call upon the council of Tartarus, and they will assign you each cells. See, your presence here in Tartarus will not go unoticed forever, and there are rules to oblige to down here. You will most likely be separated, and placed in the most high security cells, as the council is made up of monsters and creatures that are here bec ause of you. So, I reccomend that you avoid this as long as possible. But to do this, I require that you do me one, teensy weensy favor." Medusa taunted, giving a little laugh.

"What is this favor of yours?" Percy asked warily.

"Why, it's nothing really... I just simply require one vial of blood." She said casually, except for the smirk creeping up her vile face.

"What blood?" Annabeth asked, crestfallen. She seemed to know where this was going.

"Your blood of course, my dear."

A/N: another short update from me, hope you enjoyed! anything recognizable belongs to Rick Riordan. Please review! What do you think Percy's reaction will be? Any favorite quotes? Let me know what you think of the story so far!


	4. Eyes

Song of the Chapter: Damn Your Eyes by Alex Clare

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

A/N: Sorry it's been so long! I've been updating my other fics on another site and haven't had a chance to work on this along with, you know, life and all that other stuff! So sorry it's short as well. I have a plan for the next chapter so hopefully it will come faster! Let me know what you think! Also, does anyone have any news on the Sea of Monsters movie? Thank you to all you fabulous reviewers and readers!

Also, I do not own any recognized characters or ideas.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

"Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase. This is the council of Tartarus. Your words, actions, intentions, and expressions can and will be used against you in this public trial. You are here to recieve your Tartarus verdict."

Percy and Annabeth stood in the middle of the court room, Percy on one side, Annabeth twenty yards away in the cavernous court room. Percy sighed heavily, thinking back to when Medusa had asked for their blood.

Of course, it had been clear to Percy and Annabeth that Medusa was working for Gaea (why else would she need the blood of two half-bloods?). So they had refused vehemently, only to be seized and captured by a regiment of rebel Greek soldiers and brought to this court.

"You have each been assigned an attourney who will defend your case against our panel of judges and the jury. Now, we will ask the judges to enter at their name." The announcer, the sphinx, cleared her throat and began to crisply recite the list of judges, as each of them entered the room through a back door.

"First we have Al Capone, the leader of American crimes during his time alive."

A sleazy looking man in a pin-striped suit made his way to the high judge's seats.

"Next we introduce Darth Vader, an established leader under the Galactic Empire."

A man with long, brown hair and a billowing cloak takes his place.

"Tom Riddle, leader of Death Eaters and spreader of chaos and dispair through greater England."

A young man with handsome features, a devilish smirk and curly brown hair entered into the room.

"And now Kronos, a known enemy of the Gods, sought vengeance against Greek half-bloods and Gods."

Percy winced as the Titan he had led to death entered the room with a fierce glare. He no longer looked like Luke, but rather appeared as a strong, black-haired man with a beard, similar in features to Zeus.

"And Finally, Dr. Hannibal Lector, renowned phyciastrist and serial killer."

An unassuming man with a crazy glint in his eyes entered the room.

The jury now entered and assumed their positions, looking bored.

Percy internally cringed. Eternal Jury Duty. He felt bad for these guys. Well, he would if they weren't recognized killers, monsters and traitors.

"And now we shall assign you each an attourney. Annabeth Chase, we present you with your attourney... Dr. Thorn."

Percy looks to Annabeth, whose eyes are wide in recognition as the manticore that goes by the name Dr. Thorn enters the courtroom and sits at the table behind Annabeth.

"And Percy Jackson, you have been assigned to Mr. Drassen. MR. DRASSEN! Someone please fetch Mr. Drassen!"

A man in a suit enters the court room, an uncaring look on his face. Something is off about the man, which Percy notices immediately. The way he seems so unaware, so uncaring, yet unobservant...

"Now, Let's begin." The announcer says.

Percy's attourney sits behind him, where he ruffles the papers in front of him.

"Percy Jackson, you have been charged for the murders of The Minotaur, Medusa, the chimera..."

And the list goes on, mentioning in chronological order every monster he killed, every thing he did to piss off the gods, and every thing he failed to do to support the evil in general.

Annabeth's was no worse, but it wasn't better by anything, as she was his accomplice for eighty percent of the acts.

The panel of judges discussed this amongst themselves.

Annabeth's attourney was no help as he was on the list of people on Percy's kill list. He made a weak argument for hiring them as butlers in the cell of Kronos.

"Well, at least it wasn't their fault for killing Kronos... oh, wait. Never mind. Continue." He had argued.

Percy eventually discovered that his attourney was deaf. He could not hear a word anyone said, and could do nothing in his favor but sit there with a bored look on his face.

The jury had left the room to decide upon what their suggestion of punishment for the two best friends would be.

They entered again, the leader lazily bringing the verdict to Darth Vader, who read it and passed it along the panel of judges.

The announcer than spoke. "And now the judges will vote upon the jury's decision. The jury was in favor for each of the prisoners to serve out a sentence of ten centuries on bathroom duty for Mr. Vader."

Percy gaped. He looked over to Annabeth who was wearing a terrified expression.

"But, Tartarus laws allow the judges decide whether to give the prisoners the option to fight for their absence from duties in the Tartarus Arena of the Damned. Judges opposed to extending this offer?"

Darth Vader was the only one opposed.

"Judges who favor this option?"

The other four judges raised their arms.

"Ruled. Each prisoner sentenced to fight for freedom individually in the Arena. If they so fail, they will be held to ten centuries of work under the Darth Vader."

Percy's seaweed green eyes looked straight into Annabeth's stormy gray ones across the room.

They were going to have to enter the arena.

And fight.

Alone.


	5. Explode

Song of the Chapter: Your Hand in Mine by Explosions in the Sky

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated this story in so long, also sorry that it's so pathetically short. This story is really meant to be a large collection of little snippets, as that makes it easier for me to write amidst my crazy life! Also, does anyone have any news on the Sea of Monsters movie? Thank you to all you fabulous reviewers and readers!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

_Percy's seaweed green eyes looked straight into Annabeth's stormy gray ones across the room. _

_They were going to have to enter the arena. _

_And fight._

_Alone._

Percy's mind reeled. They were supposed to stay together.

They were supposed to get in, find their way to the doors, get out.

Not get tangled into a web of old enemies and fictional villains.

They weren't supposed to get separated, forced apart.

Where the hell was Annabeth?

If they were torturing her in any way, shape, or form, Percy wanted to know, and stop those bastards right there and then.

Percy couldn't believe he'd let them take her. He couldn't believe he wasn't strong enough to pry her away from the guards that had dragged her away from him.

She was probably sitting alone, cold and desperate much like he was at the moment, except for the man with the broken look and crazy eyes, mumbling to himself.

"just a ways further yonder...  
past the ghouls, ghosts, and grems  
past the river, rising, and rhymes"

Percy wanted to tell him to shut up, but the guy looked pretty unstable. If he got incapacitated by this dude, he wouldn't be able to get Annabeth out.

Percy sighed and looked down at his frayed and singed camp half blood shirt, the only remaining remnant of himself now that Annabeth was taken. Percy shivered, the temperature of Tartarus always just slightly too cold for comfort.

He got up and began pacing back and forth. Percy remembered the first memories he had of Annabeth; the smart blonde that had been there for him, then smirked when he blew up the girl's toilets.

He remembered the first date that had been averted when he blew up Goode Highschool. Annabeth's irritation that day and meeting Rachel Dare.

He remembered their first kiss, when he had blown up the secret volcano factory and dissappeared for months on Calypso's island.

Or even summers sitting along the beach watching fireworks go off, explosions in the sky.

Their relationship had been a series of explosions since day one, their friendship had been an open fuse, and Percy had an inclination towards accidental pyrotechnics.

Percy needed a way to get out of this. The chances of both his and Annabeth's success were low. All he needed was a fuse of some sort.

But his thoughts were interuppted by a guard at his door. Of course it was once again Medusa.

"Why hello there dearie. Are you ready for your demise? I have to say, I have been waiting for this day for some quite some time. Of course, there is no doubt in my mind that I knew this was coming."

Percy simply followed her, not seeing a way out of the sharp talon fingernails that encircled his arm.

"You will be the first to fall, then I will get to watch as the girl falls, that wretched thing."

Percy 'accidentally' stepped on the back of her dress, causing her to yell at him in annoyance.

It was petty, but it stopped him from unleashing something much worse.

Medusa led him to the center of the largest arena Percy had set foot in, the dust circle in which he stood spanning wider than a football field.

He squinted into the bright harsh lighting to find the panel of judges sitting in a high box of elaborate seating up in the stands. He spotted Annabeth as well, being held by Kronos awaiting her fight.

It was hard to take his gaze away from her, even when it was announced, "RELEASE THE BEAST"

Because right then, Typhon entered the arena with a racous snarl that shook the gravel floor of the arena.

The monster easily took up a fourth of the arena floor, and it was currently charging at Percy, who was only armed with Riptide.

Percy awaited the moment of collision, bracing his feet against the gravel.

Then the moment came, and Percy was fighting and swinging and slashing as furiously as he could, trying to break the furious beast before he was crushed.

He struggled, but the fight didn't last long.

After three minutes of hashing his sword, Percy fell, pinned by a talon of Typhon.

Percy's mind sped up, and his senses roamed the arena.

He was searching for a loophole, some way to get out of this inevitable doom. A couple of seconds had passed when his supersensory abilities kicked in. Although his abilities had failed thus far, some force seemed to be on his side as he thrust the last of his energy into his final move.

He made eye contact with Annabeth's worry stricken face and she seemed to understand what had to be done.

He closed his eyes, found the pressure point, and lit the fuse.

Just as Typhon was about to spear Percy like a fish under a trident, the arena exploded.

And once again, amid the acrid smoke and reigning chaos, Annabeth and Percy found each other.  
Annabeth seemed to know the best place to escape, sprinting ahead out of the cloud of dust and into a long and winding cavernous hall.

The pair ran side by side for what felt to be hours until the sound of yelling and the smell of gravel dissapeared.

They entered an empty alcove within the maze of caves and collapsed, exhausted.

"Hey Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth began, still slightly out of breath.

"Yeah?" Percy replied, his chest rising up and down heavily underneath Annabeth's head.

"I think the grand explosions are getting a little old. I have dust in my teeth and ears."

"Sorry. I'll have to try a different approach next time. Maybe some card tricks will do the job."

Annabeth laughed, little snorts interspersed among her hearty chuckles.

And for a moment, they were just Percy and Annabeth, the dynamite duo that had been through everything together, just on another quest.


End file.
